Bark Removal Tips?

[Magicdave]

different barks come off more or less easily than each other, but the season you peel makes a huge difference as well as how long it has been off the tree for. For example, Ash peeled from a log in the early summer will come off as a sheet, but try it in the winter and the best you'll get is short ragged strips.

Excellent stuff Dave, thank you very much. I had considered the seasonal thing.

[dave budd]

you can make some very cool containers from the whole thickness of bark peeled off trees like ash and cherry if you get the season right. The ash bark is about 5mm thick and very durable, it dries like wood so you have to move it whilst greeen (or re-soak it in a water butt)

[Magicdave]

Nice Dave, I watched Ray Mears do his birch bark container episode when it was first broadcast, I'll look to see if I can find it online. I'm waisting a lot of birch bark at the moment so I think I'll give it a go. I've been meaning to make sheaths for my carving knives, that might have to be the first project. It will also justify (in my head anyway) the time spent to carefully remove the bark.

[Magicdave]

I found this, that I hadn't seen before.



I'm going to modify (over the next few weeks) the structure to make sheaths. I'll put a video together to show it. I don't know how to word it, but If anyone can get my thinking it involves gluing the 2 half cylinder sections in there, but not for the full length.

[Pootle]

That's a nice project, thanks for sharing. I like the sheath idea as well; I look forward to a video on it,

[bikebum1975]

Typically just use my knife doesn't take all that much off either. Never used a bark spud but seems interesting

[dave budd]

it's all down to efficiency. If I'm taking the bark off a small stick or three, then I'll use a knife like everyone else. But if I'm stripping a few ash trunks that are a foot across and 20 feet long, then I'll still there when the wood has dried and started to turn to soil!